


The Phantom

by Buckys_winter_QueenLoki



Category: Avengers, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Black Character(s), Black Female Lead, Character Death, Death, Declarations Of Love, Destiny, Domestic Avengers, Eventual Happy Ending, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Female Character of Color, Fingerfucking, First Dates, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Friendship/Love, Future, Gang Rape, Interracial Relationship, Jealousy, Kissing, Loss of Virginity, Love, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Master/Slave, Multi, Non-Consensual Oral Sex, Oral Sex, Pain, Painful Sex, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Lives, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture, Platonic Kissing, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Problems, Public Sex, Race, Racism, Racist Language, Rape, Rape Aftermath, Rape Fantasy, Rape Recovery, Rough Kissing, Rough Oral Sex, Sex, Sexual Content, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Team as Family, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Underage Kissing, Underage Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy, Unrequited Love, Vaginal Fingering, Virginity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-05-19 21:09:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5980980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buckys_winter_QueenLoki/pseuds/Buckys_winter_QueenLoki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claudia Parish was born in Louisiana, 1830. A slave girl - daughter of a slave mother and a slave master father. An outcast from the beginning, she meets an unfortunate accident causing her to gain some supernatural abilities and cheat death more than once. </p><p>Now it's 2017, In New York City. Claudia has spent the past year in Shield hands after committing some deadly and dangerous crimes since the last time she clawed her way out from a grave. Put in the care of the Avengers, Loki and others, Claudia - now known as Clara - has to face the fact that times may have changed. She has to be the hero now - </p><p>And get use to a new generation of hate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End

**Author's Note:**

> So guys.  
> I'm adding yet ANOTHER FANFIC to my LIST of uncompleted FANFICS. But I have been planning this one for SO LONG. Like you really have no idea. So I'm gonna go ahead and say this now for all of those who need another little warning. 
> 
> This is NOT your normal fanfic. This is not gonna be sugar coated in anyway possible. Yes, there will be funny moments and such - but this is gonna hit some hard issues pressing the past and the present. Also, this is based and stars a BLACK FEMALE LEAD CHARACTER. If your not into that, or into interracial relationships or such of the sort - then good bye. 
> 
> If your not into being called out and seeing racism and feeling and reading about racism and HISTORY(as I have done a lot of research into making this) then THIS IS YOUR WARNING TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW. If you rather be color blind, go ahead and don't read this fanfic. If you don't agree with something because You don't feel it's true - then feel free to send me a comment and I will happily set you in your place. 
> 
> This is gonna go hard and deep. So if your not into being or feeling strangly about a topic you don't understand, or don't want to understand, then feel free to leave now. 
> 
> This has been your first and only warning. Enjoy.

LOUSISIANA. 1843.

"Momma my hair is fine!" The small, dainty, and doll-like young girl said, pushing her mother's hand away as the older women toyed and pulled at the girl's hair with a long wooden brush as she tried to get it through the girl's mess of curls. "Claudia! 'Ush now. You going to the big house to see ya daddy." The doll-like young girl frowned, yet did as she was told, trying to remain as still as possible as her mother pulled at her mess of curls and kinks.

After a few more terrible minutes of hair pulling, the older women pulled her hand back, holding the wooden brush, and letting out a sigh. "You got my kinks 'ight. I can barely manage 'em hairs on yo head." The dainty girl who had been sitting on the floor between her mother's legs jumped up and turned to look at her mother. The older women had beautiful twilight dark skin, her eyes sparkled like the moon, and her smile seemed brighter than all the stars. Claudia however, compared to her mother - looked more bronzed than the dazzling and beautiful twilight of her mother. "Thank yah, 'ma." The dainty young girl said, standing on her tiptoes in order to reach her mother's cheek and lay a sloppy wet kiss on it.

Her mother let out a laugh, before pushing the young girl gently towards the door. "Go on, now. I'll have dinner ready by the time yall and the rest of 'em get back tonight." The young girl did as her mother said and ran towards the door of their wooden cabin house, her light cotton dress barely covering her knees. Claudia ran towards the big white house, her little feet kicking up dust and dirt as she ran - yet she was careful not to make a mess of her cotton dress. It was the best and prettiest dress her mamma had ever made for her, and she loved it more than anything.

Reaching the big white house, Claudia knew better than to head up towards the large front porch steps. She went around towards the very back, opening the little gate and closing it behind her. She headed towards the back door where the warm smell of buttermilk biscuits and boiling chicken was coming from. Knocking on the door three times, she listened to the footsteps as they approached the door and opened for her. Smiling down at her was Nia. The young women opened the door for Claudia, and Claudia stepped inside, her curls and kinks bouncing as she did so.

" 'Well you look rather fine Claud!" Nia said, closing the door behind the bouncing young 13-year-old. Claudia turned towards Nia and twirled in her little cotton dress before doing a little bow. Nia busted out laughing, before smiling largely at Claudia before heading back to the stove in order to make sure her buttermilk biscuits didn't burn. " 'Masta is having some guests over tonight Claud, so he asked for you to be serve'n 'em. Of course Imma be helper, but I figure you to be the main event. He wants ya to wear the blue dress he got you last week I heard 'em say." Claudia walked over to the stove and smiled, taking in the smell of the wonderful dinner.

"I'm hungry now," Claudia said, one little hand reaching towards one of the biscuits only to be slapped away by Nia. "Don't 'ya even think about it! You got work to do! But I promise I'll save ya the scraps to take home to ya 'momma when dinner is over for the guests. Now best you get ready 'ya here?"

\---

Claudia walked out of the kitchen and into the large dining room in the thin blue dress she had been ordered to wear. Claudia hated the dress. Her cotton dress was much more comfortable than the silk blue dress she wore now. It made her shiver and had no protection from the cold of the dining room. Claudia held her head high as she walked, holding two plates stacked high with boiled chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, and Nia's famous buttermilk biscuits on the side. Nia was right behind her, walking with the other two plates.

Claudia instantly knew she was in charge of serving her father, and the guest to his right. Nia served the other two guests on the masta's left. When all the plates had been set down for the master and the guests, and the drinks had been poured, Nia and Claudia backed away into the corners of the room ready to be called on whenever they were done.

"..So the little one is ya daughter now, I figure?" The guest to the right of Claudia's biological father and master of the 'French & Co.' Plantation. "Yes, Sir. That's her. What do you think? As nice as I told you she'd be." The guest picked up his fork and poked at his meal yet his eyes were locked on the young Claudia. "She seems very obedient. I'd love to add her to my collection. I'll give you..400 for her."

The master picked up his drink, taking a long swig before setting his glass back down on the table. "That's my daughter I'll be sellen. A half-breed." "She's still a nigger." The guest responded. The master cracked a grin. "A nigger to add to your collection to use for your own deeds. I want 600." The guest almost spite out all his food, before turning to look at the master. "I thought you wanted to take her off your hands, so you can get a decent wife and have real pure children. Not nigger children." The master shrugged.

"Still, gotta make money. You'll be taken one of my best kitchen workers. And her momma won't be happy 'bout me seller her either. I'll buy her a new brush to make her shut her crien when she finds out what I done. 550 then." The guest shook his head, looking back at Claudia, seeing her up and down. Finally, he spoke. "..450 for her. And I'll order you a metal brush to give to the nigger mother for her." The master smiled, standing up from his seat and holding out his hand. The other guests at the table smiled, as the main guest who had just bought Claudia, stood up and shook the master's hand. "..Pleasure doing business with ya. I'll take the girl tonight, and send the brush and money over by dawn."

\---

Claudia held hands with the strange man she had served from dinner. They walked towards the big horse carriage that had one driver. Claudia kept looking and turning her head back to look at the big house where Nia was crying and begging and her father was busy talking to her. She couldn't hear what was going on, but all she knew for the moment was that she had to go with the guest from dinner. The guest opened the door of the carriage and lead her inside into the seat. He closed the door behind the two of them, and the driver started the carriage to move.

The guest turned towards Claudia and smiled, his pale skin and light eyes glowing dangerously. "From now on, you call me Master Dane. You'll be going home with me, to a new family now." Claudia looked at Master Dane and opened her mouth. "What about my momma? Is she coming too?" The 13-year-old said, hopefully. The master laughed, before putting one hand under Claudia's chin and kissing her. Claudia at once fumbled to pull away from Master Dane, yet he would have none of it. He took her two small arms, holding them over her head, forcing himself upon her with his mouth.

At once, Claudia began to cry and Master Dane pulled away. "Hold still nigger. I bought you to be obedient!" He let go of her arms, and went towards his trousers, unzipping his pants, and pulling out his half way hard cock. Claudia struggled, trying to push herself closer to the carriage walls only to be pulled closer by Master Dane. With his left hand, he pulled her hands over her head, and with his right, he moved his hand under her blue silk dress and between her legs. He started to rub the soft innocents between her legs before moving her legs farther apart.

Master Dane's fingers went between her legs and into her entrance, using his arm to keep her legs open. Claudia cried at the invasion, trying to pull away from Master Dane to no avail. After a few more minutes of him poking and prodding between her legs with his fingers, he forced himself on top of her, using both of his hands to hold her down against him to prevent her from fighting him. He used his much larger and stronger legs to keep her legs from closing. He guided his cock in between her legs, letting it rub against her entrance.

The male was clearly already getting off and could barely control the raging amount of lust building inside of him. He bent down and began to kiss Claudia's neck, before forcing his cock into her entrance. Claudia screamed. Claudia screamed as Master Dane ripped her apart and took her virginity without hesitation and without warning. "Yah a damn tight nigger all right.." He groaned as he started to pump and pull himself in and out of her. Claudia shook in pain, tears streaming down her face as the carriage rolled on.

"Take it, you nigger bitch.." Master Dane groaned as he raped and enjoyed the sweetness of her. Claudia laid still, her body shaking and tears streaming down her face. The pain had died down from what it had been at first, yet with every movement, it felt just almost bad as when Master Dane had first taken her virginity. He pulled himself in and out of her, not caring to note the blood of her virginity having been taken had never stopped. Claudia slowly laid still, her eyes closing in on everything around her...

Her end. Was truly her beginning.


	2. The Beginning

LOUSISIANA. 1845.

Her eyes popped open. Her brown eyes searched the darkness yet she could see nothing. Claudia moved her arms, and at once she felt the unmistakable minerals of tiny particles of dirt. Claudia screamed, she had just been in a carriage. Yes. That was right. She had been in a carriage with..Master Dane? That was his name wasn't it? And she had left her mother and Nia. Now where the heck was she now? The 13 year old grabbed at the dirt on top of her, searching and screaming and clawing her way at it trying to find some type of way out from the darkness. Pulling and pounding on what felt like..roots? She fought at the empty ground around her. 

It seemed like hours before she caught a glimpse of sunlight. Claudia scrambled, doing her best to dig more towards the light and make the hole bigger. Pushing and pounding some more, the hole of light above her grew larger and larger. Forcing her upper body towards the light, Claudia escaped the darkness of the dirt pulling herself upwards above ground. Almost at once, she sucked in a huge amount of air as if she hadn't been breathing and had just now remembered she had to. Claudia closed her eyes. The light was so bright and it was taking her a little while to get use to it. After laying above ground for a few minutes with her eyes shut, she slowly opened each eye one at a time in order to take in the area around her. 

"..Master Dane?" She called out softly. Her voice felt weird. Claudia coughed, and out came dirt and soil from her mouth. Taking one hand, she rubbed the excess around her mouth and pulled the rest of herself out of the little hole of dirt. "..Nia?" Claudia called out once again. That felt better. Her throat didn't feel so clogged anymore. Claudia slowly moved to stand on her feet, and for the first time she noticed what she was wearing. The silk blue dress. Yet the ends where covered in blood. Claudia moved her feet to take a few steps and fell to the ground. The pain of falling to her feet made more memories come back. She was in pain..yes. That was right. And she had been in a carriage with Master Dane..and..and.. 

He had touched her. She remembered him touching her. Between her legs. She remembered it hurting.  
Almost at once the tears started streaming from Claudia's face. "..Mamma!" She cried. She wanted her mother. Her beautiful mother who use to sing songs to her when she cried and when she was upset and hungry. Claudia sat on the ground and cried, calling out for her mother for a long time until she had no more tears to cry. Claudia rubbed her dirt covered hands over her face and slowly got to her feet. She tried once more to walk. The first few steps where rocky. The next where a bit more stable. And after those first few stable steps, she was walking normal as if nothing had happened. 

Claudia looked around her surroundings. She knew this place. It was where she and her mother had sometimes come to pick berries for Nia when she was baking pie. She couldn't have been more than 10 miles away from her home plantation. Claudia walked as fast as she could. Soon her speed walking turned to running. Claudia ran, ran with everything she had. She wanted her mamma. She wanted to go back and lay on her chest and hear her beautiful mamma sing her songs and tell her everything was gonna be ok. 

\--- 

It had to be a little past noon when Claudia reached the plantation. It looked different, yet it was 100% still the same place. Claudia stood on the outskirts of the plantation. Something told her she should wait till dusk to move about, as everyone seemed to be working. The young 13 year old sat down in the shade of the old maple tree, and watched her home. She could see her old house. It took everything she had not to run home. Yet something just felt..different. She didn't feel hungry for sure. Usually she would be heading home for lunch that her mamma would have had made for her that morning. Yet she wasn't hungry. That was little weird. 

While leaning against the old maple tree, Claudia's head turned towards the big house. Almost as if a bell had gone off, the door to the big house front porch opened and Claudia watched her father walk out the door. She didn't remember him having a beard. He looked older somehow. He stood out on the porch alone, before taking out a cigar and lighting it before placing it in his mouth. A few moments later, Claudia watched as a young girl flopped outside and onto the porch. She had pretty shoulder length dirty blonde hair and big pretty hazel eyes. Claudia watched as her father picked her up over his shoulder and watched as the young girl laughed and giggled in her father's arms before being set back down again. 

Claudia watched as a younger women walked out onto the porch, her belly starting to get large. She had long back length blonde hair and light brown colored eyes. She was beautiful, and the way she looked at her father was the same way Nia use too look at the old animal hand, Toby. The blonde haired lady was in love with the Master. She was in love with Claudia's daddy. She watched as her father tossed his cigar over the porch and come closer to the blonde haired lady and lay a kiss on her. The young girl on the porch 'Ewwed' before laughing and running off the porch. Claudia couldn't contain her jealously. She didn't understand it, but she knew she was jealous. 

Claudia watched the blonde haired lady pull away from her father, before smiling and walking down the porch as a carriage pulled up. Claudia moved farther into the shadows as the blonde women and the little girl got into the carriage and watched as it slowly dragged off. Her father stood on the porch for a few moments longer, before pulling out another cigar from his pocket. He lit it and went back inside the big house. Claudia felt her face. It was hot. She remembered her mamma once saying that if your face was hot, you either had a fever or you must be really upset. Claudia thought she was the latter. 

\--- 

Waiting till dusk, Claudia moved from under the large Maple tree and headed towards the house she remembered as her own. She hadn't seen her mother or Nia walking about all day so she was more than excited to see them. Reaching her house, Claudia was drawn towards the window. She use to stick her drawings there for all the other slaves to look at when they walked by. She was a little more than upset to find they weren't there. Peeping her head over the window hanger, Claudia looked inside. 

There, she saw her mother.  
Laying on there old straw bed with blankets with Nia and Toby and another big man she didn't know. Her mother held a baby in her arms. It looked like a new born. It was dark and beautiful and had the same moon light eyes Claudia's mother had. Nia was busting a small belly bump too. The man Claudia didn't know picked up the baby from her mother's arms and walked over towards Toby and handed it to him. "..'Ya might 'av a son with Nia as fine as mine now. I'mma never been so proud and happy before." The man's face turned towards the window and Claudia ducked down. Her heart was racing and pounding. 

What had she just seen?! What had she just heard. Nothing made sense. A spark went off in her head, and Claudia got up and ran towards the maple tree, hiding in the dark shadows of it's leaves. Not moments later from the moment she had fled, the door to her old home opened. The strange man looked out towards the shadows of darkness. Claudia moved farther away, to not be seen. The man stood out for long minutes before turning his head as if someone had called his name and went back inside. 

Claudia's heart was pounding. Tears streamed down her face. Nothing made sense. This couldn't be happening.  
Yet she knew she couldn't go back. It was as if she had some type of guide telling her to turn around and leave. That she would be better off leaving. Claudia's mind didn't want to listen, but her feet did. Claudia turned and headed into the darkness, leaving everything she once knew behind.


	3. Remembering Tuesday

LOUSISIANA 1845. 

Night turned to day. Day turned to night. And night turned to day again.  
Claudia wasn't sure how long, or how many days she had been walking. Time for some reason seemed to have..Speed up. At least, it seemed that way to her. In all honesty, she had lost track of time. Nothing seemed the same as it had been. It felt as if she had been asleep for a day or two and then..? Everything was blank. Claudia walked away from her old plantation home going farther into the woods. The 13-year-old physically looked the same, yet Claudia knew she felt older. By maybe..two years? Maybe 3. She wasn't fully sure why or what the reason behind it was. 

For weeks, Claudia lived off berries she found in the woods. She found random mushrooms and ate them, despite her mother telling her a thousand times in the past to never to do that. She stopped at streams and drank until she felt she would pass out, then she kept going. During the heat of the morning, she would sleep. She would find a shady tree or a somewhat secluded area and rest. It was slaves law, never to be seen during the day unless it was while doing work. During the evening, she would look for food and water. Eat and drink until she could barely walk, then force herself to plow through the night. Every day she grew stronger. And everyday Claudia thought that maybe, just maybe she was heading in the right direction. The right direction is a new fresh start. A new start, somewhere. 

Claudia got her wish, on September 5th, 1845. A Tuesday.  
Claudia had come across a dirt trail on the side of some kind of road. Knowing better than to walk in the open, Claudia followed the road from the shadows. She followed the road for what felt like hours before the sound of horses started to drift to her ears. Loud barking too. Claudia's heart began to race, and at once she started running. She couldn't go back. She would never go back to her old home. But her feet ached and hurt. She ran as fast as she could, yet the sound of horse hooves coming closer and the barking and growling getting closer told her she wouldn't make it to safety. It was the middle of the day and the shadows couldn't help her. "I hear somethi'n runnin!" Claudia heard one voice yell. She picked up the skirts of her dress, doing her best not to trip or fall over them. Claudia ran, yet her speed was slowing. She tripped, falling to her knees. She forced herself to get back to her feet, running once more.

She ran a few more feet before falling again. The dogs were right on her trail. They couldn't be far away now. And the men too. She forced her way back to her feet, yet she knew by then it was too late. The dogs had made a sharp turn and had seen her. Claudia screamed, fear crippling her senses. She backed into a tree, as the animals showed their teeth growling as if daring her to try and make a run for it. She was pinned in place and there was nothing she could do about it. Her heart throbbed in her chest as the men on horses came around the same sharp turn the dogs did, getting sight of her. "..Well look what we got here, boys. A nigger bitch. Too bad it ain't the one we look'in for. Too young. And covered in dirt." The other man on his horse nodded his head, jumping off with a piece of rope. 

"This nigger will do better anyway. Young nigger. Best for breeding 'em animals anyway." The man stepped passed the dogs, grabbing Claudia by her arm roughly and turning her around. He forced her against the tree, taking both of her small arms and wrapping them together with the rope. Once that was done, he forced her to turn back to him and looked he looked her over. "Young nigger 'ight. And looks like the thing escaped from being some play toy. Too bad you're heading back." The two men laughed and Claudia was dragged behind on the rope. The three of them headed back towards the street, the dogs following right behind.


	4. A New Start?

LOUSISINA 1845

Despite the situation, the town was grand. Carriages rolled up and down the streets. Fancy horse and townhouses lined the streets. White ladies in dresses walking with their children and other white ladies. White men with other white men, laughing and looking at papers and going over plans. It was a normal day for them. The sun was high and it was starting to slowly get cool with the heat of summer slowly passing by. 

Being dragged like an animal behind the two men on their horses, Claudia's head hung low. She could hear the snickers of the women and children as they passed by. Claudia wanted to cry, yet she had no more tears to shed. Instead, her mind went back to her old home. She thought of her mother. Oh, what she wouldn't do to have her mother right now. But her mother had a new baby. Her mother no longer needed her. She had been forgotten. One of the men tugged hard on her rope and Claudia looked up. She hadn't been paying attention, but they had came into what seemed to be a market. They made their way through crowds of people and slaves with shopping lists, heading towards the sound of loud voices. Getting closer and closer to a large crowd, the men jumped off their horses. The first man held Claudia by her rope - while the other got the reigns for the first man's horse. "I'll wait here, with 'em dogs while you sell the negro girl." The first man nodded, before walking into the huge crowd, pulling Claudia after him. 

The two moved through the crowd of people heading towards the very front that had a stage. A white man stood in a suit, next to another man who was talking. "...My first auction is for my buck.." As the man said this, a negro slave man was dragged onto the little stage to stand in front of everyone. "..Good breeding for yall here. He's reined me three of them bucks and two negro bitches. Good at liftin 'em crates of cotton and gin. I want at least 200 for 'em." The man in the suit smiled, directing his hand towards the crowd. "We will start the bidding there then!" There was a line of people waiting to sell their slaves. Claudia hung her head as she was dragged towards the back of the line with other slaves and those wanting to sell them. It was a while before it was finally her turn. Claudia was dragged onto the stage with her rope and hands tied, with the man who had captured her. The man in the suit paid no mind to her but made a formal greeting to her capturer. 

Her capturer spoke out towards the crowd. "I've got here a young bitch. Half-breed by the looks of it and unwanted. No children, but she's tried breeding. Good slave bitch for outdoors and housework. I want at least 500 for her. She's part coon and the bitch will be good for something." Claudia shivered and looked up towards the crowd. The way everyone was looking at her made her shake. The man in the suit spoke then. "..We start the bidding at 500.." Claudia watched as hands went up, and numbers were called out. More and more hands slowly stayed down, until only one hand was left. "Going once...going twice... SOLD! To Nathaniel Owen!" Claudia watched was a man moved through the crowd, heading towards the stage. 

As he approached, Claudia took in his features. He seemed somewhat young, at least compared to her father. He had ivory skin, deep brown straight hair, and hazel eyes. The women in the crowd took notice of him as well, looking him up and down in his refined and expensive suit. "..Young and handsome 'ain't he?" "..Unmarried, but I heard he's engaged.." Nathaniel reached the stage and smiled towards Claudia's capturer, handing him bills before Claudia was traded off. Nathaniel paid no attention to her, yet he simply took the rope that held her hands together and took her towards the exit of the auction. 

\---

The exited the auction, Claudia following behind as her new master lead her through the crowd of people within the town. They came back to the same street that Claudia had been walking on not hours before. A carriage was sitting on the street, awaiting them. Two negroes stood next to the carriage and upon seeing Nathaniel, one of them moved quickly to open to carriage door. Claudia's new master smiled at the negro, before pulling Claudia into the carriage after him.


	5. Another Home

LOUSISINA 1845

Claudia almost had a heart attack. The door to the carriage closed behind her new master and instinctively she pushed herself to try and get as far away from him as possible. The carriage began to move and as it did so, the memories of the last time she was in a carriage flashed back through her head. Master Dane. The way he had touched her, the way he had forced himself onto her, the pain, the blood - then waking up buried underground. Did he bury her alive? He just left her there. Didn't bother to check on her after she had been used- and..and.. Nathaniel could do the same thing to her now and she would just have to take it. Maybe this time it would be even more painful. 

Yet nothing happened. Her new master was busy looking over papers that her capturers had handed to him. She was his now and he had the papers to prove so. He shook the document papers in his hand before looking over at her. "..Ruth will have to fetch you new clothing at the plantation." His speech was much more relaxed and refined than any other that Claudia had heard before. It reminded her of the French quarter's men and women that use to come to her old home, who seemed to hold themselves to a higher standard than everyone else. "...And your documents don't say you have a name.." He liked to drag out his words. He sighed softly, looking out of the window of the carriage. They moved in silence for a long time. Claudia kept her guard up. Never. Never would she ever repeat the ordeal she had gone through before without a fight. Nathaniel Owen would glance sideways at her, every now and then, but would never speak. The ride was long. They had left the town almost four hours past high noon. They did not reach the Owen plantation till dusk. 

The slaves who had driven the carriage parked it in front of the large plantation house. Master Owen exited and closed the carriage door behind him, leaving Claudia inside alone. He went towards the slaves, saying a few simple orders and commands before walking towards the plantation house, entering, and closing the door behind him. The carriage started to move again, heading farther along a dirt road. It was a short ride, the carriage parking by a stone building. The two slaves jumped off the carriage, one coming to open the door for Claudia. "Out." One said. Claudia followed his orders, exiting the carriage. The first slave glanced at her for a moment before looking towards his partner. "You can take the girl to Ruth. I'll finish here." The first slave turned his back on them, starting to tend to the horses. The other directed his hand to Claudia, starting to lead the way. 

The two walked briskly through the night air. They soon came across wooden cabins, most had the lights on within them. The smell of something cooking was drifting from some of the cabins and Claudia noticed how hungry she was. The slave lead her to one of the houses with its lights on. He knocked on the door three times. One long knock and two short ones, before opening the door and entering. Claudia followed in after him. She was surprised by all the slaves inside one small cabin. Most of them seemed to be around her age or slightly older, aside from one large female who was hovering over a small fire and another smaller female who was busy wrapping something around her leg. Everyone looked up at them. Claudia felt exposed at once. "...'Master bought this one in town today. He wants Ruth to take care of her." The smaller female who was wrapping her leg looked up, sighed softly, and nodded her head. "..He said give the gal some new clothes, make sure she's well, and get to work at dawn." Ruth nodded her head, and the slave who had guided Claudia to them left the cabin. 

Ruth slowly got to her feet from where she had been sitting down on the wooden cabin floor. Claudia couldn't help but notice her light brown eyes, and her dark bronzed skin tone. Her drape of curls was tied up with a rag. She held out a hand, and Claudia noticed that she had some calluses upon them. "They call me Ruth." She introduced herself. "..And these are Abby-" The big women had turned away from the fire, to stare at her. "-Betsy, Edwin, Jon, Lucy, Patty, and Coffey." Claudia looked at each of them in turn as they were introduced to her. Betsy had big dark eyes, was tall, and had black kinks mixed with her tight curls. She had to be a few years older than Claudia. Edwin and Jon seemed younger than Claudia. They had chestnut skin, brown eyes, and dark black hair. Lucy and Coffey were somewhere around Claudia's age. Lucy had the same beautiful dark skin that reminded Claudia of her mother. Her eyes though, were dull, unlike the stars her own mother's eyes had been. Coffey had a big smile and very fair chestnut colored skin and hazel brown eyes. Claudia couldn't help getting the feeling that Coffey was Master Owen's blood. 

"Abby, she needs clothes. Imma get her somethin to eat." Abby moved away from the fire and Ruth went over to take her place. Ruth got a small wooden bowl seemingly hidden to the side. Abby went to the far side of the one-roomed cabin. She picked up a large linen shirt and large pants made of rags before taking them over to Claudia. She dropped them down next to her, before going back to the side of the cabin and getting a bucket that had been filled with water and a cloth. Abby walked back over to Claudia and tipped her head up. The young 13 years old blushed, removing the blood-stained blue dress off her body and dropping it down to the side. She wanted to burn it and her memories attached to the dress. 

Abby dipped the cloth in the bucket of water and wiped Claudia down with it. She cleaned the dirt from her feet, arms and face. She then cleaned the dried blood between her legs. Claudia was happy no one asked what had happened. Yet she was pretty sure no explanation was really needed. "..You gotta name?" Abby asked when she was done cleaning Claudia off. Claudia nodded her head, as she put the linen shirt over her head, and slipped on the large pants. 

"My names Claudia."


	6. Back Into The Grave

LOUSISINA 1845

 

"Pleasure meeting yah, Claud." Abby said, picking up the bucket and cloth and taking back to the side of the cabin. Ruth brought over the wooden bowl filled with cornmeal and a very thin slice of pork. "Eat. We got work to do in the 'morn." Claudia didn't need to be told again. The cornmeal and pork was the first decent meal she had in.. she wasn't sure. For days she had been living off of wild berries and mushrooms, so this was wonderful for a change. Abby handed her over a small tin filled with clean water to drink. Claudia cleaned her bowl and thanked them both. Outside the cabin, a loud voice was yelling. Ruth jumped up and went around the room blowing out the wax candles that had illuminated them. Everyone laid down where they had been sitting, or standing. Claudia did the same, laying down on the cold wooden flooring. Ruth laid down last. It was quiet in the cabin for a long time and slowly snores could be heard.

For the first time in a long time, Claudia wasn't alone. But she felt alone. She cried silent tears, thinking of her mother and how she would do anything to be sleeping next to her right now. Her tears and sadness lured her to sleep.

\----

Ruth woke Claudia up at the first crack of dawn. She had another bucket filled with water and gave instructions for Claudia to wash her face with it. Claudia did as she was told. Abby and everyone else, aside from Coffey, was gone off to work. Coffey was already awake and was waiting for Claudia and Ruth. Claudia got to her feet and Ruth put the bucket of water to the side. She lead Coffey and Claudia out of the wooden cabin and out into the plantation. Everyone was busy with work. Claudia didn't have to be told it was a tobacco plantation. Ruth lead them down the same dirt road towards the big plantation house that Master Owen had vanished into the night before. Ruth lead them towards the back entrance, where they entered into the kitchen. Coffey went towards the stove and began her usual work of starting to prepare breakfast for Master Owen. Ruth turned to Claudia.

"You ever work in a Masters kitchen, Claud?" Claudia nodded her head and Ruth smiled. "Good." She went over towards one of the cabinets and pulled out three aprons. She tossed one to Coffey who easily caught hers and tossed one over to Claudia who did the same. "You'll be clean'n first, then servin. Maybe later on, cookin. But for now you just clean'n and servin. Got it?" Claudia nodded her head and listened to Ruth's instructions. She would wash the dishes, then dry them and put them away. She would clean the stove, sweep, then mop the floor. She would take out the trash, save the good scraps from plates, and then help Coffey take the dishes to be served. Coffey would come back to the kitchen, but Claudia would wait until whoever was eaten was done. Then she would take the dishes back to the kitchen, wash the dishes, dry them, and then put them away. Then the whole thing would repeat itself again.

By the end of the first day, Claudia was tired. Only master Owen lived in the house, but people came and went. Lots of men in suits who came for breakfast and discussions of many papers. Then older women with their husbands and young children for lunch who would eat and smoke cigars and sip tea with little sandwiches. They would talk about the president- James K. Polk and talk about his plans for the future. Then came dinner, where the dining room would be filled with rich men and women and their children. Most importantly, the rich men and they're of age daughters. Many rich men would bring their daughters to master Owen in hopes of him picking one of them as a possible suitor. It was agony to watch the flirtation, twirling of dresses, and batting of eyelashes. It wasn't true from the rumors in town that master Owen was engaged, yet he was looking to be, as Claudia heard from having to wait on the guest as they partied, ate, and danced.

Claudia also found out those next few nights of work, that Nathaniel Owen was a rich wealthy young man of 24, soon to be 25. His parents had died young from some kind of sickness and he had inherited every last bit of their wealth and property with no other 'legitimate' siblings. Because of this, he was in great need of a bride - and more importantly - of an heir to his wealth. No one paid attention to Claudia and she did well to stay out of the way. She picked up plates, poured drinks, and brought out more food. Some of the men would stare at her too long, but master Owen had a way of seemingly taking the attention off of her, strangely enough. Dinner would end and Claudia would take the plates back to the kitchen. She would clean and help Ruth and Coffey with anything else that needed to be done and they would walk back to the wooden cabin together with the good scraps saved from the master's breakfast, lunch, and supper to add to their own meals. They would make dinner in the cabin as everyone else would slowly drift back after work had been completed for the day. They would all eat dinner, talk about what they heard from other slaves, talk about the guests who came to the plantation and talk about the master himself. Then there was gossip about who and who was pregnant, new couples, the trouble of working so hard - and other news and events.

Claudia learned soon enough that no one wanted to talk about the real big issues within the plantation. How new slaves had to be bought every weekend because almost every week or so one of the slaves would attempt to run away, or one would die while working, or someone would get lynched. No one wanted to talk about that. No one wanted to talk about what would go on in the master’s house either. Sometimes during the morning hour, as Claudia was taking breakfast to master Owens bedroom, she would sometimes see Abby or Betsy on their way out from being in his room. Their eyes were always dull and they never spoke when they saw her. No one said anything about that. Though Abby would always hint at it. "..Yall don't give yall selves a reason to die.. just do as yall told, and get it over with..." Claudia concluded that Abby was Coffey's mother. Abby would talk sometimes about the former master of the Owen plantation, Nathaniel's father. She would sometimes say personal things, no one else would know about. It didn't take long for Claudia to piece together that Abby had been raped by the former master, and had gotten pregnant with Coffey. No wonder she looked like Nathaniel and the guest would always talk about him not having 'legitimate' siblings. Master Owen and Coffey were half brother and sister. Abby was glad that the other Owen's where dead. She wanted Nathaniel Owen to die too.

Claudia however, couldn't shake the feeling that Abby wanted Coffey gone as well. She treated her worse than everyone else in the cabin. Claudia wasn't sure if she could blame Abby or not for hating her own daughter so much.

 

Time went by quickly. Two years, Claudia lived on the Owen Tobacco Plantation. For two years, she worked in the kitchen with Ruth and Coffey who had become some of her close friends. More than friends. Sisters. Claudia had turned 15 on the plantation, her 'birthday' being celebrated whenever summer started to become fall. Claudia helped Coffey and Ruth to cook and they all cleaned and sung together. Claudia was still the main server though. Life had gotten easier for Claudia. She still thought about her mother and her family. Sometimes she found herself to be mysteriously sad missing them. But life went on. Or it did.

Master Owen had changed drastically towards Claudia. It was little things at first. She would bring him his meals in bed every Sunday morning and he would speak to her softly. Then he would ask her what she thought of him other days. Sometimes he would call on her in the evening to bring him tea out on the porch and he would ask her to sit with him before he finished and then she would take his cup. Then came the little touches. He would push a stray curl from her face, place his hand on hers, and stare into her eyes with his deep hazel eyes. Claudia didn't tell. She kept it to herself. Then one day, things changed. It was early in the morning in the kitchen. Ruth had fixed master Owen's plate, and Coffey had made his cup of coffee. Claudia took the plate and the coffee and headed upstairs. She hadn't seen Abby or Betsy come from his bedroom in a long time. She knocked on the door and after hearing his command to enter - Claudia opened and closed the door softly behind herself.

The bedroom was being changed up. Master Owen was soon to be married in a few days to a white, 21-year-old woman who was the daughter of another rich man. They made plans for starting to have children early and rumors had a way of spreading. The young bride to be was looking forward to being a housewife to a rich husband with lots of children to run around the plantation. The young bride was in the process of moving her things into the large plantation house and most importantly - into the bedroom. Claudia handed master Owen his plate and coffee and he simply dipped his head to her. She walked back to the side of the room, and waited for him to finish in silence. Soon, master Owen was done with his meal, and Claudia went to collect his plates. However, he ended up setting them to the side table next to his bed. His eyes bore into Claudia's before he spoke.

"..You're 15 now, Claudia." He said suddenly. Claudia looked at him, and nodded, starting to reach for the plates but he shook her away. "..Most female negros begin to bare negro children at 15, sometimes even younger." Claudia didn't know what to say, so she stood there in silence. Her heart, however, began to race. Master Owen slowly removed the sheets from around himself, before getting out of bed. He wore nothing, aside from a long cotton shirt and pants for sleep. He moved towards her, and Claudia took a step back. She knew what was going to happen, but that didn't stop her from begging. "..I don't want children, not with nobody!" She said, the tears filling her eyes, as master Owen took another step towards her. He didn't seem to hear her.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her towards him. He turned her around, so her back was facing his face and he threw her onto the bed. Claudia laid face down into the sheets and at once she turned onto her back to face him. "..Master Owen, please- I..I don't want to have children!" Master Owen didn't seem to hear her again. He pushed her farther into the bed, climbing on top of her as he did so. He pulled off Claudia's pants, as she thrashed around. A hard slap to the face made her stop. "I think I've waited a decent time to do this, now don't you?" Claudia laid still. The words Abby had said before came to mind. There was no use in dying when she had a new family to love since she lost her former one. Master Owen took off his own pants, pulling out his cock. He was breathing heavily on top of her. He spread Claudia's legs with his own and began to trace her inner lips with his fingers. Claudia stared at the ceiling. She didn't want to feel. She didn't want to be in this position. Master Owen removed his fingers and traced her entrance with his cock. He did this for long moments, before reaching back down and guiding himself slowly into her.

Claudia took in a sharp breath, before staring blankly at the ceiling once more. Master Owen groaned, pushing all of his cock into her and pulling himself out and into her again. He groaned, thrusting in and out of her, slowly getting into a rhythm as he raped her. His hips bucked into her own, and he used his upper body to grind and hump all of himself into Claudia. Claudia stayed silent and blank. It was as if her soul had left her body. Master Owen moaned, his thrusting speeding up as he raped and fucked Claudia into his bed sheets. He was so busy and into his own actions, that he didn't hear the footsteps coming to the door. His bride-to-be opened the door to the bedroom, carrying in more bags and things to add to the bedroom. She dropped them upon hearing her soon to be husband's moans of pleasure. She ran towards the bed and caught sight of Owen and Claudia together within the sheets.

Master Owen glanced at her for only a moment, but went on with his actions. In and out of Claudia he went. His wife to be screamed, telling him to stop, and calling Claudia foul names. She blamed Claudia for seducing her soon to be husband into bed with her. Claudia paid no attention to the yelling and feelings within her. She had lost what remained of herself having to be subjected to his rape. Master Owen groaned, pounding himself into Claudia as his future wife screamed and yelled more at the two of them. Master Owen was happily enjoying himself, enjoying as his young wife-to-be watched, as he fucked someone else in front of her. He pulled out, before thrusting himself in one last time and emptying his seed within Claudia. The young bride cried, slumping to the floor as Master Owen pulled out of Claudia. He reached for his pants, putting them back on before going to comfort his young soon-to-be wife.

"...I want her hung!" The bride sobbed out. "I want her dead! Hang her!" Claudia listened from the bed. She didn't care anymore. She had done what Abby said in order to keep herself alive. "..As you wish, darling.." Master Owen purred out to his love. Claudia would die, doing everything she possibly could to stay alive as Abby and told her too. And it looked like she would die anyway.  
\----

That night, the overseer of the plantation took Claudia out towards the forest, to the hanging tree. Word had spread through the plantation of what had happened and what was about to happen. Master Owen followed after the overseer and Claudia, with his future wife at his side. Ruth, Abby, and the others followed from a distance, coming to watch the events. They reached the hanging tree. A noose was tied tightly around Claudia's neck. The rope went around the tree. Claudia stared at the sky. She could hear the cries of her friends in the distance. Claudia stared up at the stars. It was nice being able to see the stars that reminded her of her mother’s smile for the last time. Claudia closed her eyes as the rope was pulled, and she was hung.


	7. 50 Years Later

LOUSISINA. 1895. 

Her eyes popped open. This..this seemed familiar. Somewhat familiar, at least. It was dark and cold. Everything around her was dark and cold. Yet felt somewhat light. Claudia reached her hands up in front of her, trying to move. Soil. Dirt. Earth. It was all around her again. She had been buried again. Everything seemed foggy in her mind and mixed together, yet she did know one thing: her body was fighting for air. God, she needed air. Oxygen. All of it, inside her lungs or else she would die--- 

The Irony. 

The ground and soil were easy to break apart, unlike the first time she had been in the same situation. At the same time, however, the ground above her as she dug felt wet and muddy. Claudia pounded on the ground, noting to herself that the hole she was buried in this time didn't seem as deep. She broke free of the earth, one hand rising from her grave. Slowly, Claudia pulled herself out from the hole she had been in. She sucked in a cool breath of Louisiana air. Then came the hard part. Where the hell she? 

Something was around her neck.  
Claudia grabbed at it, and almost instantly the memories seemed to flood back into her head. Master Owen had raped her. His bride caught him raping her and blamed her. His wife ordered her to be hung. Master Owen wanted to please her. And she was hung. Claudia had been lynched for being raped. The noose was still around her neck. Claudia grabbed and pulled at it fighting to get it off of her. There was no use. 

She was far too weak to pull it off from around her neck and at the same time, Claudia didn't want to be alive. She had been buried twice. Twice she had woken up. She wanted to be dead. It was her fault she had gotten raped. It was her fault that she didn't fight master Owen back. It was HER fault, that the noose was tied around her neck as a symbol of her actions, a symbol of her punishment. There was no use, no purpose - in her being alive. 

Claudia wanted to die. No longer would someone try to take her life. She would do it on her own. Claudia pushed back the voices that screamed in her head. Strange, new voices that sounded nothing like her own. She had set her mind on what she was going to do and paid no attention to anything else around her. Claudia moved her way back to the hole she had clawed her way out of. As expected, the ground around the hole was also wet and muddy. There had to be water somewhere close. Following her impulse, Claudia headed towards it. She had no trouble getting up and walking like the first time she had woken up. It didn't take her long to come to the river. 

She was hungry, tired, and the voices kept getting louder and louder. Their voices were muffled, too many at a time. Whispering. Then screaming. Then groaning. Then crying out. Then whispering, groaning and loud screaming all over again. Claudia couldn't take it, it was all too much. She wanted to die. She wanted to drown. She wanted to die. She wanted to die. She wanted to be dead. She wanted to be dead. Claudia didn't want to live anymore. No one would kill her again. She would kill herself. 

Claudia followed the stream until it turned and ran into a twisting turning river. She had no clue where she was. But she knew she wanted to die. This was the perfect place to do it. Alone. Without anyone else. Claudia put one foot in the river, then another. The water didn't feel like anything. It felt as if it was passing through her body. Not hot, not warm. Not cold. It felt like nothing. Claudia walked farther and farther into the river until she felt the weight finally pounding on her. She forced her head into the water and opened her mouth, forcing herself to swallow all the water possible through her mouth and nose. 

The voices were screaming now. Screaming. Yelling. Louder than they had ever been before. It was painful. Claudia felt as if there was a force trying to pull her away from the water. Claudia fought. No longer did she want to live. She had lost everything that mattered and what had started to matter. Claudia's eyes closed. She began to thrash in the water. The force that had tried to pull her away was gone. The voices were quiet. Claudia could now feel how cold the water was. Her soul and mind had seemingly come back to her body. But it was too late. 

Claudia had won.  
Claudia drowned in the water. And nothing else mattered.


	8. The 1970's

LOUSISINA. 1975.

80 years.

Claudia had been dead after killing herself, for 80 years. And the world had changed. Claudia's eyes slowly opened. Everything was blurry and wet. Wet. Wet. WET. Where was she? Not in the place she had originally drowned for sure. Claudia was half submerged in the river. Her lower body was the water, yet her upper body had seemingly gotten suck between rocks near the shore. How long had she been stuck there? She wasn't sure. For one thing- she had definitely drowned. The beautiful brown tan skin she once had was gone. Claudia was extremely discolored. Her skin had turned a pale, blue color. Her dark rosy lips were also blue. Some of her flesh had decayed. Her belly was extremely bloated, and the rest of her skin was puffy. Her veins could be seen through her skin. All in all, she looked dead and gross.

Claudia wasn't shocked to be alive. But she knew she should be. It wasn't every day a 15-year-old girl woke up from being dead to looks down at her own half decayed misplaced discolored drowned body after all. "..I _dear so hope you don't try that again."_ A voice sang, like a cozy melody in her head. Claudia looked around or attempted to. Turning her head and neck hurt like hell. What honestly what could you expect. Strangely enough, Claudia was at peace. It was like..she had taken a long nap and had not killed herself. Or attempted to. Claudia laid on the rocks for a long time- until the first feelings of hunger crept up on her. Slowly, she used her upper body and arms to slowly pull and tug her way out of the water and out on the rocks. She groaned. It hurt. It hurt. It HURT. But it didn't hurt as bad as losing her virginity. _"..You were 13 and didn't want it. And what did you expect after 80 years? Did you think you'd be able to move around as if you didn't kill yourself? As if you didn't purposely ATTEMPT to drown yourself?"_ The voice was back, with even more words this time. It was getting harder to push them away- and their way of speech was far different than what Claudia used to hearing.

Claudia sat on the rocks. She watched the river swirl and twist past her. Her hunger was growing, but she was far too weak to move or do anything about it. Instead, she simply sat, watching as the sky turned from a bright orange to a cool blue. And as the clouds were whipped away by the wind, Claudia's anatomy seemingly began to return to normal. Slowly, but surely. Her lips were no longer the ghostly pale, blue color of a girl who had just drowned. They had begun to return to their ruby wine color. Her glossy dead reflection in the water became more lively. Her skin returning to its beautiful sparkle of being brown and deliciously tanned in the setting sunlight. The nastiest thing about Claudia's return to the living, however, was the decayed skin. It fell off. Completely rotten and nasty. Some of it was blue. Other parts were purple and black like a bad bruise. The decayed rotten skin simply fell off her body. Claudia's eyes grew heavy. She slowly laid back on the rocks and fell asleep to the song of the rippling water being played across her ears. Her hunger had been forgotten. She was suddenly instead, in need of rest.

\---

Claudia woke with a start that next morning. The sun was burning down into her. She sat up, and instantly noted the repair her body had gone through. The dead decayed skin that had fallen off? Completely repaired and new. Her body no longer ached. She would move as freely as ever. She was in no kind of pain. Her body seemed to sparkle with its..its.. newest? As if being alive was the holy grail of everything and this, this new body repaired like new- was some simple 'duh of course' reward. The hunger did however return. Claudia untied and removed the noose from her neck. She tossed it into the river. She didn't want to think about the memories attached to it- she washed the memories down the river right alongside the noose that had killed her originally. The 2nd time.

Hunger. So hungry. So. So. Hungry. Claudia had never felt such hunger. Claudia freely moved from the rocks to the shore. Her body didn't seem like a cage anymore. She felt stronger. Faster. More durable. More..More everything. But most of all, more hungry. Clearly, death did that you. Her senses seemed to have spiked. Claudia ran from the shore, and headed towards the woods she had traveled through..what had the voice said? 80? She ran through the same wood forest she had traveled in 80 years ago. The trees seemed thinner. Some of them had been cut down. But Claudia didn't want to think about that right now. She was starving. The faster she ran, the more she felt like she was flying. She paid no attention to it. She was hungry. Claudia saw it then. At the peak of her hunger. A light at the end of the woods. A town street. At this point, Claudia didn't mind being captured again. She would be captured, taken to her new owner's plantation, start a new life- and EAT. God she was-

...

What.

...

The town street. It was filled with cars. She had seen a car before. But everyone didn't have one. And they were nothing like THESE. And the people in them- they were not just white. Cars were for white people. Some may be driven by black slaves. But the black slaves usually weren't INSIDE the cars. The black slave's DIDN'T RIDE in the cars. They just drove. The people- both black and white- moved in their cars up and down the street paying no attention to her. Some people walked with bags as they headed towards their cars. Where the hell was she?! What was going on? Where were the slaves? The captures, the screaming?! The big fancy carriages with the big horses? WHERE WAS EVERYTHING SHE-

Something smelled wonderful. The wonder of the new world she was in was hurriedly forgotten when the hunger struck again. Her stomach showed her the way. Claudia walked in front of cars- and they passed right through her without ever stopping. It was like the people who were in them hadn't even seen her. She didn't feel the car going through her- and the people in them didn't feel a body going hitting their car. Too much. Too much. Too much to think about so suddenly. Claudia walked through traffic without ever stopping. Her body moved through all objects that stood in her way. She crossed the street and headed towards the sweet smell of food that came calling to her nose and belly.

Claudia came to the little Louisiana café window that sung a melody of wonders to her nose. Inside, she could hardly believe what she saw. There were black- and white- people sitting inside the café. Eating. Talking. Drinking. Laughing?! NEVER in her life had she ever seen something like this. And they were all dressed.. somewhat the same? No one was in rags- no one was in overly poufy dresses. No really big sun hats. Everyone, white and black- were sitting together. Eating. No fighting(as far as she could tell). What kind of twisted world had she just woken up in? Her belly grumbled loudly again. Claudia blinked, snapping out of her amazement of watching everyone inside.

Slowly she walked towards the door of 'Creole Bayou Cuisine'. Claudia usually never felt out of place. But walking into the café, she for once in her life- felt out of place. She didn't notice how..different people really where dressed. The pants worn reminded her of.. a bell. If that made any kind of sense. They were so flared towards the end and longer than what the slaves wore- but different from the fancy slacks of the men would wear. And they were made out of some different kind of material that she was 100% wasn't cotton. Some people also wore different designs across their clothing- _"The designs are printed. And the material is called 'polyester."_ At least the voices were starting to become helpful. The shirts that were not made from cotton and made from the poly-whatever- had large collars. The shirts were tight and button down, some even had flared collars. Some of the pants, though, were not all bell shaped. Some seemed very loose fitting- _"Baggy. It's called Baggy."_ And to make things even better- or more complicated for Claudia- some of the men wore THE HIDE of a cattle. THE HIDE of a CATTLE. It was in a dark black wash and some had buttons on it. It looked strange, yet highly comfortable. _"Leather jackets are the rage of the 1970's."_

There was a big woman at the café counter. She had dark skin and wore a large cloth apron. She bent over her workstation, took one look at Claudia, and laughed. She howled and laughed at the sight of her. Claudia would have laughed too if she was someone else looking at herself. She stuck out like a sore thumb. When the lady finally pulled herself together, she smirked looking down at Claudia. "Darling, you look like you've just woken up in the wrong decade!" _You wouldn't believe._ The big lady looked Claudia over, before nodding to herself. "People 'round here are having a hard time finding work especially if you colored-" She said the last part a little quieter than the start of her sentence. "- and usually end up heading north. I just lost one of my best hands to them norther's upstate. Things are busy around here, and I could use some cheap labor if you're up for it, youngling. At least you look like it." The lady howled with laughter again and Claudia blushed as everyone turned to gaze at them, or at least- at the strange girl with dirty all over her. 

Claudia nodded her head, only really understanding half of what she had said. She understood only the 'work' part. The big lady nodded, heading behind the counter for a few minutes before appearing once again with an apron and a plate. She tossed the apron to Claudia and set the plate of food down in front of Claudia. "Eat, then I want you washin dishes." The big women's focus turned away from Claudia as more people came into the café. Claudia took a seat and began to dig into the food in front of her. At once, Creole Jambalaya became one of Claudia's favorite dishes. Once she was done eating, Claudia put on the apron. She still felt extremely underdressed, but she could do nothing about that now. She headed off to the counter and went to start washing dishes. 


	9. Strange New Powers

LOUSISINA. 1977.

Life, was good.

Oddly enough, life was good. Claudia had been working at 'Creole Bayou Cuisine' for two years. Nothing had changed in a long time for her. Aside from the world, and everything else in it. The big women Claudia had met when she had first crawled out from the grave, her name was Patty. Patty was tough on Claudia when she was on the clock at work, but otherwise, Patty was as kind as could be. On the first day, Claudia had washed dishes, and Patty was closing up shop - Patty asked Claudia where she lived. Claudia told the truth. _Well._ Not the _TRUTH_ , but the truth. She had no home. She had, 'run away' from home looking for work. Seemingly, that wasn't an uncommon story. Patty looked Claudia over that day long and hard before finally telling her that she could live with her. Of course, she would have to pay with 1/3 of her wages, but hey - something was better than nothing. And in truth, Claudia never had her own money before. Being PAID to work was something new to her, but she kept that part a secret. Though Patty could tell that Claudia was more than excited for her first pay day.

After saving a decent amount of her money, Claudia bought herself some clothes. She went with Patty across the street from the café and got some new clothing. It was nothing stylish or high end - but it was better than anything else she had ever owned. And that was very little. Claudia saved almost every dime she had. When she had been working for Patty of 3 months, Patty had given her a little wooden box with a key. She told Claudia to hold on to the key and keep everything she loved in the box. It was one of the best gifts Claudia had ever gotten. Claudia decided to keep her money inside of it. Claudia and Patty were quite the duo. Claudia was quiet compared to the loud outgoing women and Patty could light up any room. The café had a staircase leading upstairs and that was where Claudia and Patty lived. Once the doors of the café where closed, the duo would sit down for dinner together. They would talk before heading on up stairs.

Patty wasn't idiot. She knew there was something up with Claudia the moment she had actually gotten to talk to her. Claudia had no clue who John F. Kennedy was. And that wasn't the only thing either. The girl was old enough to know who Martin Luther King was, yet bringing up the two important figures, Claudia was at a lost. Patty could tell she would try to lie and pretend she knew - but Claudia had no clue. Claudia during work was sometimes quite nervous around the white customers. She had a tendency to sometimes run their order first, even if another black group had been in the café longer and was waiting. One day Patty brought up segregation. She was shocked to find that Claudia had no clue about that either. Patty took it upon herself to teach Claudia. And she was a little bit surprised that Claudia didn't know how to read or even write. Colored folks were allowed to learn it and many colored kids could go to school with the white ones now to learn together. Patty taught Claudia the alphabet first. She was surprised at how quickly Claudia learned. But then again, the alphabet was easy. Then she taught Claudia how to write, then put words together, and slowly read. But..Patty felt as if Claudia..had someone talking to her. Helping her. Or at least she acted like it. Patty would ask Claudia a question. Claudia would pause as if she was listening to something- then she would speak.

Patty thought the girl was crazy, or at least a little strange. But she liked Claudia anyhow. Next came math. Claudia picked up on that quickly too. First writing numbers. Then adding. Then subtracting - and then division. How could Claudia do division if Patty hadn't taught Claudia how to do multiplication yet? Claudia was different. Patty wanted to enroll her in a school, yet something held her back. She wasn't sure what is was - but something held her back. On Claudia's 16th birthday, Patty thought she was going crazy. Claudia was opening the gifts Patty had gotten for her. There were only two little gifts. The first gift was a little silver necklace with a P on it, she had found looking through old boxes of her own things. She had cleaned it up as best as she could before giving it to Claudia.

Originally the P stood for Patty, but she decided to tell Claudia it was a P for pretty. Claudia ended up telling her that her last name was Parish. The last name sounded slightly familiar. She remembered an old white family with the last name of Parish. They came from well-known plantation owners in Louisiana. Oh well. The next gift, Patty wished she never bought. She had gone to the clothing shop across the street and found the most beautiful blue silk dress that looked like it would fit Claudia perfectly. And it was a good price too. Patty wrapped it and put it into a little box. Claudia opened the box so excitedly before her eyes went dark. She stared into the box as if she had seen some kind of ghost. She pulled out the silk blue dress with shaking hands, letting the box slip right onto the floor. Claudia held the dress in palms that were turning stark white. Then it happened.

Patty had seen flowers wilt before. Slowly, one petal would fall off. Then another. Then another. And then another. Until there was nothing left but a stem. That's what happened with the dress. Claudia held the dress in her hands, and slowly - one by one - parts of the dress crumpled up. Some of it withered. The ends of the dress turned from the stunning crystal blue to a graveyard black. Patty couldn't believe her eyes as she watched. Then she heard. Voices. There where the voice that where hushing, seemingly trying to sooth. Patty noticed then that Claudia was crying. She wasn't making any noise as she cried, but she was crying. The voices got louder. Patty couldn't make out what they were saying. The dress fell apart in Claudia's hands and landed in her lap. Claudia had a blank stare on her face, the tears still running down. Then she jumped up and ran upstairs. The voices stopped when Claudia left.

Patty had no clue what had happened. She didn't understand. It didn't make sense. So, she did what she had done with she was younger. When she had seen her father hitting her mother. She picked up the dress from the floor, as it had fallen from Claudia's lap as she ran upstairs. The dress was blackened, as if it had been burnt, or had been caught in a fire. So she took it outside and tossed it in the garbage. Patty sat at the café table all night, until morning. Claudia came downstairs in her work clothes, with the P necklace around her neck. She wished Patty good morning, as if nothing had happened, and made the two of them a cup of coffee. They started their morning lessons like they had always done, before putting everything away as other workers got to the café to open up shop. In a matter of days, everything was back to normal, and Patty pushed what she had seen to the back of her mind.

Months went by without anything happening. Until that first spring. Claudia had gone over to the little clothing shop across the street. Patty was tending to a customer. Patty looked over just in time to see Claudia crossing the street with what the things she had bought. That's when a car slammed right into her. Patty screamed and dropped the notebook in which she had been taking the customer's order. She ran out of the café as Claudia walked straight up her, her eyes seeming to ask what was wrong. Patty looked to the side. The car had kept going. There was no blood in the street or any sign that Claudia had been hit. Patty felt Claudia's face. She felt fine, she looked fine. But.. she had just seen.. Claudia blinked at Patty before walking around her. She set the bags she had brought on an empty table and went to tend to the customers that Patty and frightened with her scream. Patty sat at that table for the rest of the day, before closing shop and going upstairs for what she thought, was much-needed rest.

Another time during work, Claudia was talking to a group of customers when her notebook fell on the floor as she was taking orders. The group was talking among themselves, so no one else seemed to notice as the notebook seemingly glowed a pale green color before floating back into her hand. Claudia seemed shocked herself for a moment before the customer's attention turned back to her. No one saw what had happened. No one but Patty. That same week, right before bed, Patty was walking by the bathroom. Claudia said she was going to take a bath yet she never heard the water. The door was opened ajar a bit, so Patty peaked her head in. Claudia was standing in front of the mirror. She was staring at her own reflection. Patty moved to the side a bit, so she could see. And what she saw scared the living daylights out of her.

The girl looking back at Claudia in the mirror, looked nothing like Claudia. Claudia had tan mahogany black skin and shoulder length dark brown curls. In the mirror, in Claudia's reflection; her skin was pale and white. Not the white or pink of a caucasian person (or anyone Patty had seen before), but WHITE. White like a person who was dying. White like a person who had just died. White like a ghost. Her dark brown curly hair looked completely silver. Or maybe it was white. She couldn't fully tell. And those big brown eyes of the teen girl she had come to adore as a friend - her eyes glowed green in the reflection. Patty stood there and stared, and so did Claudia. The reflection, however, turned towards the door of the bathroom. For a few moments, the reflection and Patty held eye contact before Patty moved out of the way. She ran down the hall to her own room and closed the door behind her. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Slowly Patty opened it, to look down at her lovely Claudia. She looked like she was about to cry. Patty closed her arms around Claudia in a deep hug. Yet fear shook in the back of her mind.

Even more strange things Patty couldn't explain began to happen. Sometimes at night, Patty would wake up. And when she woke up, she would hear those same voices from long before. She couldn't understand what they were saying. Then Patty began to think she was crazy. Why was no one else hearing voices or seeing what she saw with Claudia? How come Claudia herself didn't wake up with the voices too? Patty didn't understand. But it scared the living hell out of her. And it was only the beginning.

Another year went by, and Claudia was turning 17. Three weeks before her 17th birthday, it was late in the evening after Claudia and Patty had closed shop. That was the day of Patty's breaking point. Patty and Claudia were having dinner like they usually would when there was a loud howl from outside. The two of them turned to see a dog laying in the road, as well as blood. The dog had been hit by a car. The two of them went outside together. Patty looked the dog over. There was too much blood. Most likely broken bones and ribs too. The animal's eyes were closed. It took only two minutes for Patty to declare the dog dead. Patty left Claudia outside with the animal as she went back inside to get a trash bag in order to put the animal inside and bury it. She was only gone for a minute. When Patty returned, her heart dropped from her body.

The dog who was dead, NO. The dog who had BEEN dead, was licking Claudia's face. The blood of the animal was still in the street. Claudia was kneeling down, petting the animal as it licked her face. Yet it wasn't Claudia. It was the reflection. Patty couldn't see a face, but she knew from behind. Claudia had the reflection's same stark white pale ghost skin. Claudia's curly brown hair that was now a few inches below her shoulders, was now unmistakably silver. Patty's hands shook. She dropped the bag. It didn't make a noise. But. Claudia - or WHOEVER the hell was in front of her- seemed to hear it fall. They turned, and Patty saw those same glowing green eyes. Patty screamed. She screamed for hell's sake.

She pointed at Claudia and screamed. She screamed before she started yelling. "Demon! Demon!" She pointed at Claudia. She frowned. Slowly her glowing green eyes returned back to normal, and so did her skin and hair. Yet Patty kept screaming. "Demon! Devil!" She made a cross with her hands. Claudia took a step towards Patty, yet Patty took three steps back. People were slowly forming around gathering to see what was going on. "YOU ARE A DEMON! I'VE BEEN HEARING VOICES EVER SINCE YOU'VE CAME-" A man had come up to Patty, trying to grab her around the shoulders. She pushed him away. "Get Away From Me! And Everyone Stay BACK From That Demon Girl If You Know What's Good For You!" She pointed at Claudia again and everyone looked at her. Claudia's expression was blank, yet she attempted to walk towards Patty again. Patty screamed.

"WITCH! WITCH! GHOST! DEMON!" Patty yelled, her body starting to shake. Someone called 911. "DEVIL SPAWN! SORCERESS! NECROMANCER!" Patty yelled. It wasn't long till 911 arrived and headed towards Patty. "Don't Take Me! Take HER! She's The Devil! She has POWERS! She is BLESSED BY THE DEVIL! SHE'S BEEN TOUCH BY SATAN! BEWARE THE WITCH-" Patty was put in the police car. The lights on top of it started to flash. And the car speed off. The crowd that had gathered turned to look at Claudia. Some whispered, yet most just shrugged.

"..Patty has been acting crazy lately.." "Patty has always been crazy.." "Poor girl..I hear she's an orphan.." Some people talked to Claudia for a little bit before going back home. Some only glanced at her for a moment before heading off. Soon the crowd was gone, and Claudia was alone in the streets. The dog she had brought back from the dead nipped at her heels and barked. Claudia looked down. The animal had the same green eyes she had saw in her own reflection a year ago. Claudia shivered. It was getting late. And she had a café to run, alone. Yet the words Patty yelled rang at the back of her mind. " _You're not a demon, Claudia."_ The voices whispered to her. " _You are going to be our hero. Our blessing. Our Phantom."_ For the past year since she had first seen her reflection, Claudia had wanted to drown herself in the bathroom tub after finding some of her _'Gifts' ._ The voices had repeated the same thing over and over again. _" Blessing. Gift. Power. Hero. Phantom."_ She knew she had to deal with whatever was to come. Or else she would rise from the grave again. This time however, Claudia began to not want to die. Perhaps hearing something positive for once in her life and having gone 2 years without being raped put a positive outlook on her new world. Slowly, Claudia went back inside the café, followed by the little dog she had saved from death.

**TWO. WEEKS. LATER.**

"Mrs. Davis, would you please tell the nice men what had happened, again please?" Patty was sitting in a hospital chair. She had been staring out the window. The nurse who had spoken to her laid a soft hand on her shoulder. Slowly Patty turned her head and looked at the two men in suits. Slowly, the dark-skinned women, who looked as if she had aged 10 years, spoke. She told them everything. About Claudia. How she came in that first day. In rags like she had crawled out from the dead. She told them about her getting hit by the car and being fine. She told them about the voices. She told them about Claudia not knowing anything about the past and how she had to teach her.

She told the men in the suits about Claudia moving the notebook into her own hands without ever having to touch it herself, or bend down to get into from the floor. She told them about the dog. She told them about the reflection. She told them about how she called Claudia a witch. A demon. A ghost. Blessed by the devil himself. The men listened, before asking where they could find 'Miss Claudia Parish'. Patty told them to check the café. They asked background questions. Patty went back to staring out the window. When it had been silent for a long time with no questions being answered, the men headed towards the door. That's when Patty turned and looked back at them. "Who are you?" Both of the men stopped. One nudged the other, and the one who had been nudged turned to look back at Patty Davis.

"We are the SupremeHeadquarters InternationalEspionage, Law-EnforcementDivision." The other man turned around to face Patty before smilingly lightly.

"But you can call us Shield."


	10. Welcome to Shield

LOUSISINA. 1977.

The café was running normally as if Patty hadn't left and been taken to a mental hospital. Some people asked Claudia how Patty was doing. Claudia would always say she was improving and that it wouldn't be long before the owner returned to run the café herself. At least, that was what Claudia hoped. Never in her life, had she known friendship like this. Real friendship as people, and not as slaves made to be bred, born, and die next to each other. Without Patty around, Claudia was lonely. Patty wasn't there to eat dinner with her. Patty wasn't there to teach her lessons. Patty wasn't there for work, or for hugs, or for morning coffee or for talking. Things had gone back to being JUST Claudia. Of course, she had the other people that worked in the café, but they had their own friends and family outside of work. Even more so, Claudia didn't follow much of what they talked about.

They liked to talk about some British band named 'Queen' who had seemingly come out with new music. Then there was talk of another man named 'Billy Joel' who seemed to have also come out with new music. And a lot of customers came in talking about the new food stamp act and many other things going on. Everyone seemed to know what was going on in the world, and Claudia had never been so lost. That was until Claudia's birthday when she finally walked into Patty's room after three and a half weeks of her being gone. There it was. A box with a screen and some kind of tool on top of it. _"It's a TV, Claudia. Invented sometime in the 20's."_ Claudia walked around it. She touched it. She felt her hands all over it. Nothing happened. She picked up the tool on top of the 'Tv'. It had a lot of buttons, and numbers from 0 to 9. Claudia pressed the '1' button. Nothing happened. She pressed the '2' button. Then the '3', '4', and '5' button. Still, nothing happened.

She pressed every single number on the tool and nothing happened. She ran her hand across it and began to press every single button. On of them finally worked, and the TV popped into power. Then there was a face on the screen. Claudia jumped back as it began to talk directly to, or at least - it seemed to. Claudia pressed the 1 button. The face on the screen changed and then two people were in the little black box, talking to one another. HOW DID THEY GET IN THERE?! Claudia pressed a different button and the faces changed again to a new face. _"In time you will understand, Claudia. This is normal."_ The voices whispered to her. THIS WAS NORMAL?! People being stuck in little black boxes was normal?! The dog that Claudia had saved made it's way inside the room to Claudia. Its eyes glowed green still, and it nipped at Claudia's heels. Claudia slowly sat down and began to listen to what the voice in the little black box said. "Storm approaching Buoy area.." Claudia was lost with wonder. She watched and pressed channels for hours listening and taking in everything she heard. Did everyone have a little black box? Was this how everyone knew everything she didn't?

She didn't have time to ponder it.

She had been so absorbed with the TV that she hadn't heard someone breaking into the café. Things were falling over downstairs. Claudia jumped to her feet. Was it Patty? The dog growled. There was a yell. Then Claudia heard footsteps coming upstairs. It wasn't one. It sounded like a group. Another yell. More things crashed to the floor. Claudia's heart raced, and she looked around the room. People were breaking into the café, and it was her job to stop them. A door down the hall fell to the floor. More things crashed and fell. "ALL CLEAR!" Someone yelled. The TV turned off on its own. _"They will be coming to the door at any moment. You know what to do. Like we practiced."_ Claudia's dog growled, staring straight at the door. Claudia searched the room for some kind of escape. She didn't want to. She didn't want to be a hero anymore. Another door down the hall fell to the floor with a BANG. Things crashed to the floor. Patty's room didn't have any kind of window, the same as her own room. There was no escape, aside from the one door. _"NOW! DO IT NOW!"_ Claudia could hear all of the voices screaming at her. The room shook. Footsteps were coming towards Patty's room. Claudia closed her eyes, and opened them again.

The door to Patty's room fell down with a large BOOM. Men came into the room in suits, holding guns and other weapons. They opened drawers and tossed everything out of them. They flipped over Patty's bed. They looked through the closet. One of the men walked straight through Claudia's dog, and straight through Claudia herself. Claudia turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror. There she was. Stark white skin, silver hair, glowing green eyes. One of the men turned and was about to yell the All Clear when he glanced towards the mirror. There, they both made eye contact, and Claudia ran for the door. "SHE'S HERE! BLOCK THE EXITS!" Claudia and her ghost dog ran downstairs as men ran up and downstairs. They passed straight through them. Claudia could feel her energy slowly dropping. Never had she held this form before for so long. And she had no clue how to control it. Claudia was downstairs when she was doing her best to force her way through men.

Every person she went through, her energy dropped lower and lower. Men were all around the café exists. No way would she be able to pass through them without ending up completely weak. _"Use the dog."_ The animal stood next to Claudia, still growling and its eyes glowing green. Listening to the voices, Claudia put her hand on the animal. Suddenly, Claudia was smaller. Furrier. And.. And.. Angry. _"This is overshadowing, or possession. You can control a living - or sometimes unliving - object as if they were you. The stronger you are the better. But this won't last long. HURRY UP."_ Not needing any further directions, Claudia - now in the form of her undead pet dog - ran towards the exit of the café at full speed. The two spirit beings passed through the men and the door with ease. Suddenly, they broke apart.

Claudia woke up on the ground. She looked up, seeing men around her, with weapons at the ready. She looked at her hands. No longer were they scary white. Her hair was back to its usual brown instead of silver curls. "Claudia Parish - Stand down. We are taking you in." Claudia didn't understand. She tried to change back. But she was weak. Where was her dog? Maybe she could do that overshadowing possession thing again- One of the men pulled her up from the ground. Black vans and cars were everywhere. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back. "Who are you?!" Claudia yelled. No reply from anyone. "I asked, WHO ARE YOU?" Once again, no reply. Claudia looked around.

Where was her dog?! Where was her dog?!

Then she saw it. Her heart dropped down to her chest. In the street, there were bones, some had been scatted. _"It's not your fault. You haven't learned how to separate from a living thing after possessing them properly. And your dog has been dead for a while anyway."_ Claudia cried. She cried, as she was put into one of the vans and locked inside. Who were these people?! And where the hell were they going?!

Claudia knew what it was like to be really lonely now. Being lonely meant being happy and feeling like you were on top of the world, only for it to be taken away again.

Only to leave you alone, without anyone or anything, all over again.


	11. Naveen

SOMEWHERE. 1977.

Claudia groaned as she blinked open her eyes. Her head was pounding, and everything around her was extremely bright. She closed her eyes again. If she was dead, she wasn't ready to wake up and seize the day just yet. Unfortunately, she didn't have a choice in the matter.

"Claudia Parish."

Claudia's eyes forced their way open once more. She had heard her name. The voice didn't sound like anyone she knew, or at least, anyone she could remember. Who was it? Claudia stared upwards at the huge white ceiling above her and where the source of the lights where. She felt frozen. Perhaps because she felt empty, or maybe because the room she was in was freezing.

"Claudia Parish."

There was that voice again. Voices..Voices.. Claudia wasn't use to actually being in her own thoughts for once. Usually there was always a little whisper in her ear yet.. nothing. No advice. No little tips. No telling her what to do. The voices that got her in this mess, suddenly seemed to be gone. Oh how _wonderful._ Claudia forced herself to move into a sitting up position. Her body ached. It felt as if she had been knocked out. She gazed sorely around the room she was now in. It was completely white, and shaped like a square box. The only thing that seemed to be in the room was the little cot bed she was sitting on now. All the walls where the same. The lighting was coming from somewhere above and -

"Good. You're awake."

-And other than that, she couldn't figure out the source of where the voice was coming from. As far as she could tell, she was the only one in the room. "Where am I?" Claudia called out. The voice responded with a series of beeps. _Beep. Beep. Beeeep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeep._ It was quiet, before the voice spoke once more.

"Lets just say..in a protective unit." Male. The voice was a man. "We are going to run a few tests, ask you a few questions and you're going to play nice." The room dimmed out from it's painfully bright white, fluorescent lighting. There where more loud beeps. Claudia tried to stand and move from her cot, yet that proved to be painful. Part of her wanted to fight, yet that same part of her knew that was most likely - a terrible idea. One of the walls suddenly moved, and men dressed in black holding guns came into the room. They lined up against the walls, pointing their weapons directly at her.

Then a group of three came inside the room. The first was a man. He was tall, white, and bulky with gray eyes. Claudia knew he had weapons on him, somewhere. He just wasn't showcasing them like the men in all black. Following behind him was a women. She had to be the oldest person in the room. Maybe in her 50's. She had pale skin and brown hair that seemed to be recently turning into the first streaks of white and silver. She wore a white coat from a lab. And right next to the women, was another man. Claudia stared at him intently. He was just as tall as the white man, maybe a few inches more. He had dark perfect black skin, and he wore a lab coat just like the white lady. If the fluorescent lighting had been brighter, she would have been able to get a better look at all of them, but most importantly, him.

The white lady took a couple of steps towards Claudia and knelt down, reaching out a hand to touch her. Claudia jerked back, and the women retracted her hand. The men in black where at the ready if one command was given. "Be careful Carter. We don't know what she's capable of." The woman who was called 'Carter' by the older white man turned to look at him. "She's a child. For you to call me here I thought it was something dangerous-"

"She is dangerous!" The man responded. "Director. She can't be older than 18." The man frowned, before looking at the other man in a lab coat. "Take what you need." The director said. The man nodded. One of the men in the black came up, his gun over his shoulder. He handed the black man a case. He took it without a word, and came towards Claudia. He knelt down beside Carter. The fluorescent lighting suddenly came back on, and they were painfully bright. Claudia blinked a couple of times before getting a closer look at the black man. He had deep brown eyes, and brown curly hair. Long eye lashes, and a perfectly shaped face. The more Claudia looked at him, the safer she felt. She didn't understand why. It seemed like it was an instant connection. He opened the case he had been handed. He pulled out a pair of gloves and put them on over his hands. Then he looked up at Claudia and smiled. Her heart seemed to suddenly race. Perhaps because he had just became the first friendly face she had seen in wherever the hell this place was.

"I know you don't understand now, Claudia." He said smoothly. "-But you're in good hands." His gaze went back to the case, and he reached inside taking a bottles and vials. He also took out the biggest needle Claudia had ever seen, before looking back up at her. "Agent 13 and I-" The white women interrupted him. "-Please don't call me Agent 13 anymore Naveen. That was a good 20 years ago!" _His name is Naveen. Naveen.._ Claudia smiled to herself, and Naveen seemed to playfully roll his eyes at the older women. He rolled up his sleeves. "Carter and I-" "Peggy. Why must we always be so formal? It's not like I'm in THE business anymore-" Claudia cracked her first grin. She liked Carter. No. She liked Peggy, already. Naveen shook his head, before reaching his hand out to take Claudia's arm. She withheld it for a moment, before giving in. No point in dying. YET.

"As I was saying, Peggy and I-" The older women smiled. "-Are going to be taking care of you until we get some results back. No harm is going to come of you. We deal with these kinds of things everyday, but.. on the down low." He ran his hands over Claudia's arm. It tingled. He focused on her pulse, before finding a vein. He took out some rubbing alcohol from the case and rubbed a small spot of it around the center point. He picked up the needle, and connected a plastic tube to the base of it. The other end of the plastic tube went into the vials. He looked at Claudia, and she nodded her head. The needle pricked her, going into her skin. Her blood flowed into the needle, down the plastic tube and into the vial. Peggy changed the vial out when it was full. When 5 vials of her blood had been filled, Naveen pulled the needle out. He cleaned everything, and placed it all back into the case. He then put a bandage over where the needle had pricked Claudia before standing up.

"Until next time." He said simply. He turned and headed back towards where he and the others had entered. The men in black followed him out. Peggy stared at her for a long time, before turning to the Director. "She's special."

"I can feel it."


	12. When Love Kills

SOMEWHERE. 1977.

Time went by fast when you were alone in a white room by yourself. Or at least, it did - to Claudia. Her meals were on schedule all the time. And so were her little bathroom breaks. The one thing she could be happy about was that the food was half decent. Other than that, it was rather lonely. Suddenly, she started to miss the old voices that rung in her head. It was strange to her that she missed them when they had frightened her for so long.

On the Brightside, Claudia wasn't lonely for long. Naveen, Peggy, and the director came back a few days later. This time, they didn't have the guards with them for weapons and protection. Peggy had ditched the lab coat. Naveen didn't. And the director seemed much more calm and pleasant compared to the first time she met him. Naveen smiled at her. "Test results came back." He said positively. "And you're basically human." Claudia raised an eye. Peggy interjected. 

"What he means is-" For the first time Claudia noticed her little accent. "-You are a normal human being with supernatural abilities. Completely normal, in this growing day and age, and you are for the most part human aside from these abilities." She smiled. Claudia blinked, before speaking. "Does this mean I go?" They all chuckled. The director answered. "Go out of this room, yes. But go GO.. no. Not yet. We want to see what you're all about.. understand you. Train you into becoming one of us maybe. But that all depends on you. And how well Peggy and Naveen do with teaching you the ropes."

The two of them suddenly seemed shocked. The director smiled at Peggy Carter. "You said she was special. So now you're taking care of her. And you too Naveen. I want to see progress and I want results every week. Understand? Great." The director nodded at the three of them, before leaving the room. Peggy sighed. "That man.." She muttered. Claudia looked at Naveen and was surprised to see him smiling.

"I guess it's time for a tour!"

Naveen and Peggy showed her around after she was allowed a shower and a change of clothes. There was so much to see. People were everywhere. Peggy said they were agents like she had been, and how one day Claudia might be just like them. Naveen showed her all his favorite places. That include his work lab, the kitchen, the dining hall, and where everyone slept. He also showed her to her new little room. "I know it doesn't feel like it now. But soon enough, all of this will feel like home." That sunk deeply into Claudia's brain. Peggy showed her the training area, the indoor pool, the running track and basically, everywhere she would kill herself ' in training ' from now on. Claudia asked Peggy a lot of questions.

What did agents do. What kind of organization they were. What the future held. Would she ever be able to go out from her new little secret world? Peggy had answers for some of her questions. But for the most part, all of Claudia's question couldn't currently be answered. But would be answered with time. Claudia ate dinner in the lab with Naveen. Peggy had to go home to her family but promised to be back in the morning. Naveen talked a lot. He enjoyed his job, and he enjoyed talking about himself. He also liked to ask questions and answer them himself. Claudia found all of these things about him, interesting. When he had his fill of talking about his little bubble of his world- he asked about her. How she was doing. No one had asked her that before. So she didn't have an answer. That was ok. Naveen answered for her. If she wasn't ok, she would be. And that gave her hope. Naveen walked her back to her new little room and made sure she was settled in before leaving. Her new bed was much more comfortable than her old cot. So she drifted off to sleep as tired as she was.

The next morning, Peggy banged on the door and told her to get up. It scared the living daylights out of her, so she jumped out of bed and threw on the clothing she had been given from the day before. She opened her room door to find Peggy standing there waiting. She smiled. "Agents are up at dawn." Maybe being an agent wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Peggy lead Claudia to the dining hall where breakfast was being served. Peggy put two breakfast sandwiches on a plate and grabbed two glasses of apple juice and a glass of milk. They took a seat together at one vacant table. Peggy slide a glass of apple juice over to Claudia, and the glass of milk.

"Believe me. You'll need to keep hydrated, and your bones will thank you for the milk." She said smoothly. She picked up her own breakfast sandwich and dug in. As Claudia ate, she thought about the difference between Peggy and Patty. Patty was a friend, and before all that had happened - Patty had been a great one at that. But. After only a half of a day spent with Peggy, Claudia concluded she was more of a mother figure. She had to be a mother. The way she seemed to show her kindness when she first met her, to how she had just gotten her breakfast and was urging her to eat. The same way Claudia's own mother use to urge her to eat what little scraps they had when she was a slave. Though Peggy and her mother were two different people, Claudia felt a sense of being already completely in love and dedicated to making Peggy proud of her. How strange.

After breakfast, Peggy took Claudia to the training area. She got into new training clothes and in a few minutes, Claudia regretted eating and drinking so much. Peggy made her run four miles around the track. And that was only warm up! When Claudia had finished her four miles, Naveen was there. And he was standing right next to Peggy. He had a timer in his hand, and another case filled with a bunch of little tools. Naveen took her heart rate, temp, and blood pressure. He wrote it all down, including her four-mile time. He shook his head, before smiling at the sweaty teenager. "You did terribly. But at least your stats are normal." Claudia wanted to hit him, but Peggy was leading her to her next exercise and training. She had to do sit ups. She had to do crunches. She had to ATTEMPT a pull-up and a push-up. They made her climb a rope. Then they made her lift some weights. Then it was right back to running. When all that was done, Naveen repeated the process of taking her stats. He smirked at her.

"You have the worst scores in physical activity I have ever seen." Claudia shrugged him off. She was too tired to fight. The three of them went to lunch after, where they enjoyed a meal of baked chicken and salad. Peggy and Naveen talked and laughed through lunch, and Claudia listened. She didn't have anything of value to say. After lunch, Claudia had to change from training clothing to swimming tights. It was a one piece. Never had she worn something so.. unlike her. And the way Naveen looked at her in it, made her blush. Claudia explained that she didn't know how to swim and that it had been a few - haha - _Years_ since the last time she had to 'swim'. Peggy didn't have a problem with that. She also didn't have a problem with pushing Claudia into the pool as she was explaining her little epidemic. As expected by Peggy, Claudia could indeed swim - maybe not well. But it was something compared to treading water. Claudia exited the pool after having to do 50 laps, tired. Naveen didn't say anything about her swimming skills - but he had an evil smirk. 

After a short break in which Peggy allowed Claudia to catch her breath, it was off to the last bit of training she would have for the day. Hand to hand combat, followed by weapon use and defense. Peggy herself stood on the sidelines as she and Naveen watched as Claudia was thrown onto the mat in front of them. Over. And Over. And Over. A few times, Claudia could land some hits, but most of the time she was on her back flat on the mat. Moving on, Claudia didn't like guns yet Peggy said she would have to learn to use one anyway. She fired a couple of rounds, and each time she could slightly quake at the noise. The one thing Claudia was good at throughout her whole training session was defense. And personally, that's all Claudia wanted to know. That evening, Claudia took dinner in her room. She ate soup and bread and tended to her sore body. She used to being sore, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that all of a sudden she was with new people, learning new things, coming to terms with her growing abilities ( which she made sure to practice in her own alone time ) and her sudden growing feelings for Naveen. Now THAT. Was a problem. 

Over the next weeks, Claudia trained with Peggy and Naveen. When she had beaten her fastest time on her four miles, they became eight miles. Peggy said she would have to get used to running long distances in a short period of time because she would have no clue what she would be running after, or what would be running after her. And getting tired, and out of breath was bound to be her demise. _Haha._ Claudia soon learned different swimming techniques such as the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly - and her own personal favorite - freestyle. The only thing Peggy wanted her to work on was her time. During battle combat, Claudia didn't land AS MUCH on the mat. But she still did. She got used to the sound guns made, but she still didn't like it. Her defense only kept improving, so instead of defending herself with only one training partner, it was upped to two. Peggy also agreed to let Claudia learn her way around knives and blades. And OH did she love that. With time, Claudia wasn't so sworn. It didn't hurt as much. Her problems were sorting themselves out, expect for one.. 

Naveen. As weeks turned into months, Claudia had opened herself up more. She had made friends. The director was pleased with her progress. She was even allowed to train some of her own abilities and develop them more with Peggy's help. With so much going on around her, the voices still hadn't come back. But they were always there in her reflection. Sometimes people could see _Phantom_ when she walked by a mirror. Other times .. it was just her looking back at herself. It had been a while since Claudia and Phantom had been one. She felt normal in 1977. Everyone was so busy with work and duties, it was like skin color didn't even matter. And to be honest, that was a first because she had never been around so many white folks to the point where it didn't matter. But she always felt most comfortable with Naveen. 

Naveen.. was perfect. He was good looking, intelligent, funny - and had the worst smirk that Claudia couldn't help but hate and love at the same time. She would be 18 in a little under 5 months. And Naveen was going to be turning 23 in a little over 2 months. It was only a 5 year age gap, but in _truth_. It didn't really matter. Claudia was older than him anyway. For the first time, Claudia could look into someone's eyes - Naveen's eyes to be exact - and see herself. She could see everything she wanted. He was strong, yet kind. Powerful, but fair. Perfect body, and perfect mind. For once, she felt as if she could open up and show herself as not only being a friend or an agent in training, or a 'young girl', or a slave, or a murdered girl, or a freak show, or a rape victim. She could be Claudia. A prospect for a future. A future that would only get brighter. She wanted to be like Peggy.

Peggy would sometimes talk about her first love, Steven. Oh, how her eyes would swell up with joy and happiness. It didn't work out with Steven, Peggy never told her why. But she moved on, and got married and had a family and children. Claudia wanted that. Her own family. To get married, and have lots and lots of children. Children that looked like her. Children that she would love to the end of the earth. And someone to love her right back. As time progressed, Claudia and Naveen went from working together, to being friends to.. more than friends? He had stated a few times before, that he found her quite beautiful. No one had called her beautiful before. Beautiful had been reserved for the girls with blue eyes. Naveen also hinted at not being in any kind of relationship.. or at least it seemed that way. On Sunday's when there was no training, and Naveen didn't work in the lab - he would wait for her to wake up and get dressed standing by her door so they could go to breakfast together. Then they would play card games or tic tack toe or just talk with other agents. Peggy wasn't around on Sunday or Saturday, so they would walk around and just hang out.

Naveen would talk a lot about his family and would talk about how one day he hoped to find the same kind of love his parents did. Claudia would blush, and Naveen would change the subject and ask about her family. Claudia simply said that she had none, and the conversation would move on. Naveen's birthday rolled around, and everyone celebrated. But the best part of Naveen's birthday was the gift he gave to her. It was late that Sunday night and they had stayed up together in the common area eating all of the remaining cake from the party together and laughing about jokes and telling stories. Claudia was telling a story about her time working in the cafe, and Naveen just sat and stared at her. She had gotten so into her story that she was glowing with joy and happiness, and laughter. Never, and I mean NEVER had Naveen ever been so attracted to her. Never had she looked more beautiful. And never had he been so sure that he had fallen in love with her. When Claudia finally noticed that he was staring at her, he smiled.

He set down his empty plate of cake, and slowly leaned into her. Claudia's heart raced, yet she didn't pull away. She knew for a fact, that she wanted this. Naveen placed one finger under her chin, lifted her face up so both of their eyes met for a moment, and then kissed her. Her first true kiss. Claudia held the kiss in complete bliss before he slowly pulled away. They were both blushing, but he was wearing his signature smirk. He walked her to her room that night before proceeding to ask her to go steady. She happily agreed before the two shared a good night kiss. The next day, everyone was gushing - including Peggy. She explained during training that she had known that there was a flame building between the two of them, yet she didn't want to say anything. Claudia's skills grew, and Peggy exclaimed that soon Claudia would no longer need her. She would be in agent herself soon. An agent of Shield. Claudia spent her evenings after dinner cuddled up in Naveen's arms. Everything was going well. She was happy. She was in love. She had everything she ever wanted. The director was so pleased with her skills and her advancement that it had been set that she would officially become in the agent on her 18th birthday. A little faster than usual since it usually took agents at least three years to finish training, but Claudia wasn't 'the usual' kind of gal. So her induction day was scheduled. Everything was going right.

And then they came back. The voices. All of a sudden. Almost a whole year without hearing any kind of voices since the night she had been captured and taken away by shield. They had suddenly returned. And when they returned, they took Claudia's health as a token of their return. Bedridden for a month. No one knew what was going on with her. Her body looked completely emancipated. Everything she ate, she threw up. She couldn't hold down any kind of liquids. Her heart rate was plummeting every day. Claudia was dying. Naveen, did everything he could to help her. To save her. The director said for no one to touch Claudia without gloves, for fear of the strange sickness spreading. Claudia was to die, peacefully. Peggy said she would get better. But all hope of that was being lost. Naveen stayed by her side, day and night. Waiting for the moment Claudia would take her last breath. 

And when she finally did, he cried. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever cried. He took off the gloves, unplugged everything attached to her, called everyone in to say their last goodbyes to the young fallen agent, before leaning down and kissing her one last time. The moment he did so, his heart stopped. He crumpled to the floor. He was gasping for breath, air. His lips were turning black and purple. People rushed into the room and seized him, trying to help in any way. No one cared to notice that Claudia had started breathing again. Her body seemed to slowly return to a healthy normal fully feed body instead of looking emancipated and starved. Because there were no more machines attached to her body, the sound of her heart rate returning could not be heard by loud beeps.

The thing that had changed about Claudia? The beautiful brown skin Naveen had fallen in love with, was now stark white. Her dark brown curls had turned silver. And when Claudia opened her eyes and sat up on her bed and attention was turned back to her in terror - she could see in the lab medical mirror that her own eyes glowed green. Claudia was indeed alive - or living dead. All the attention had returned back to her. But her attention was focused on Naveen. He wasn't breathing. He was pale. He was dead. He had taken on whatever sickness, death or whatever she had caught. Slowly, she rose from the bed she had laid in for a month. She walked towards the group and they parted out of her way like the Red Sea. She knelt down beside her love, and the voices sang their command in her head. It only took one word to save him. But the price would be never seeing him again. She would wake up in whatever time period - hopefully - and once more be alone. Claudia looked down at Naveen. Never had she loved, and had her love returned. And for that, he would always and forever be her first.

Just like Peggy had done to Steven, she would always remember Naveen. She would always love him. And her love would forever be endless for him. The temperature in the room dropped. Focusing on Naveen completely, she gave her order to the dead. The same way she had saved the dog so long ago. Though this would be different. She had to give up part of herself for him to be whole again - without being apart of the living dead himself. She spoke the simple command -

 **" Rise.** **"**

The ground shook, before the temperature in the room returned to normal. Naveen suddenly took in a sharp breath, and at the same time - Claudia returned to her old self. Her old dying self. Emancipated, brown pale skin - and dying. As Naveen opened his eyes, Claudia's closed. Necromancy was a hard power to control, even more so when you yourself, are a member of the dead. _Yet in time, you'll learn that living has a price. Hades doesn't like having to return souls to those mistakenly blessed with his power._

The voices. Back again to make sure she wouldn't ever forget them. At least, next time she woke up - she wouldn't technically be alone.

And the next time she rose, living would have a price. 


	13. *Just for You*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this isn't an update to the story!

Sorry, this isn't an update!  
Just letting you guys know I will be taking time out ( since this story has gotten pretty far ) and will be correcting spelling and grammar!  
I want this to be a great story and I want it to be fun and easy to read since I know some of you can get upset with incorrectness!  
Sorry for the inconvenience and updates will be soon!  
I will continue once everything has been changed correctly! 

With love,  
Writer.


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